When money is no object

Area purveyors cater to those in pursuit of the best in food and drink

Deanna Fo, Times Union

By Deanna Fox

Published 1:01 pm, Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Eric Paul's shop, The Cheese Traveler in Albany, stocks 100 to 120 cheeses, some for those who are willing to forgo budgets for some good cheese. (Deanna Fox)

Eric Paul's shop, The Cheese Traveler in Albany, stocks 100 to 120...

Jake Moon Cafe in Clarksville offers real maple syrup for expertly crafted pancakes, but at a premium. An upcharge of $2.50 nets a large silver gravy boat of one of New York state?s finest agricultural products. (Deanna Fox)

Jake Moon Cafe in Clarksville offers real maple syrup for expertly...

Cheeses for sale at The Cheese Traveler in Albany range from $11.95 a pound (Shelburne Farms? year-old aged cheddar) to north of $50 per pound for a truffle-laced triple creme Brie made to order in France. (Deanna Fox)

Cheeses for sale at The Cheese Traveler in Albany range from $11.95...

The standard crock of French onion soup at The Gingerman in Albany costs $5.95, which includes a thick blanket of perfectly browned and stringy provolone cheese. But if you're in the know, you can order the upgraded version, topped with speciality-crafted 6-month-old baby Gruyere for $2 extra. (Deanna Fox)

The standard crock of French onion soup at The Gingerman in Albany...

?People don?t talk to us about price,? says Eric Paul, owner of The Cheese Traveler, a specialty food store in Albany focusing on cheese. (Deanna Fox)

?People don?t talk to us about price,? says Eric Paul, owner of The...

"People don't talk to us about price," says Eric Paul. Penny-pinchers do not typically find themselves perusing the racks of artisanal jams, imported pastas and luxury chocolates, nor do they sample from the cheese counter, at Paul's The Cheese Traveler, a cheesemongery and specialty pantry in Albany.

Paul's rotating selection of 200 cheeses (the store keeps 100 to 120 cheeses in stock at any time) offers dairy samplings ranging from $11.95 a pound (Shelburne Farms' year-old aged cheddar) to north of $50 per pound for a truffle-laced triple creme Brie made in France to order for The Cheese Traveler.

The lowest-priced cheese is still nearly double the price of a conventional cheddar (think Cracker Barrel blocks) one could find at a typical grocery store. For those with the disposable income to support the purchase, the decision to buy is a no-brainer. Taste aside, "service and education compensate for the price," says Paul. "People come in and come back. This is an experience you can't get elsewhere.

The Cheese Traveler is only one example of consumers willing to pony up for foodstuffs that support a good life that is flecked with trappings like fine food and drink. While Paul admits that many of the bills tallied at his store often mark a celebratory or special occasion for the buyer, many Capital Region residents are willing to spend a little more on everyday items.

At Jake Moon Cafe in Clarksville, even breakfast staples can exude a bit of luxury. Chef and owner Dan Smith offers real maple syrup for expertly crafted pancakes, but at a premium. "It's punitively expensive to keep real maple syrup on the table all the time," says Smith. An upcharge of $2.50 nets a large silver gravy boat of one of New York state's finest agricultural products. Smith typically sources his syrup from Randy Rapp Maple Syrup, located in South Berne.

About half of breakfast customers order real maple syrup to adorn their meals, Smith says. Would it be easier to increase the price of the pancakes (which now list at $6.95 for buttermilk pancakes made with Champlain Valley Flour and Meadowbrook Farms Dairy) to simply include the syrup?

"I had considered it," says Smith, "but I'm also cultivating the local people and keeping budgeting issues in mind."

The option to upgrade a meal is also utilized at The Gingerman, a longtime Albany restaurant at the command of chef Ian O'Leary. O'Leary has revamped menu-staple French onion soup by giving patrons the chance to top their soup with specialty-crafted 6-month-old baby Gruyere cheese.

"I wanted to give customers the traditional French onion soup experience," says O'Leary. The standard crock of soup costs $5.95, which includes a thick blanket of perfectly browned and stringy provolone cheese. The upgraded version costs $2 extra.

"It's decadence on a shoestring budget," says O'Leary, who sells about five gallons of the soup every three to four days. Only a small portion of diners opted for the Gruyere version, but this might not be an indicator of wealth or taste. The upgrade is not listed on the menu and is only available when the kitchen has the Gruyere in stock. Diners must have previous knowledge and ask for it outright or it must be suggested by the server.

At the top tier of dining indulgence is the truffle tasting menu offered last fall by Angelo's 677 Prime in Albany, one of the premier fine dining establishments in Albany. The menu featured five preparations of the elusive and expensive Alba white truffle, a mushroom with a current market price of $200 per ounce. The dinner costs $275 and did not include tax, tip, or beverage options.

That's more than 60 times the daily allotment for food a person would receive on SNAP, the federal food subsidy for low-income individuals. One could argue, however, that if you've got the money, it surely has to be spent somewhere.

"Let's face it, consumers like to spend money and treat themselves once in a while," says Leonard F. Valletta, a registered principal at Albany Financial Group. The availability of fine dining options "indicates that many people definitely feel more comfortable splurging a little bit more today," he says, a sign that the economy is improving.

Another sign? Champagne sales are up in the United States, even though France is exporting less champagne than in previous years.

The Capital Region is teeming with epicurean delights. From regional specialties, like cider doughnuts, to destination restaurants with lengthy reservation waits, like Daemon Baehrel in Earlton, a diner could find a delicious option regardless of price point.

If the old adage "You get what you pay for" holds true, paying a bit more for the good stuff, the stuff that brings even momentary happiness on the tongue, might be one secret ingredient to a pleasurable, interesting life.